Washing-machine cylinder.



G. W. ALDRICH.

WASHING MACHINE CYLINDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-4.1915.

1,%5%, 187, Patented Jan. 22, 191&

3 SHEETS-SHEET l- Inverzar e. w. ALDRICH. WASHING MACHINE CYLINDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 4,1915.

1 .254, 1 87. Patented Jan. 22, 1918.

7 3 SHEETSSHEET 2- G. W. ALDRICH.

WASHING MACHINE CYLINDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 4, l9l5.

Patented Jan. 22,1918.

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Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Jan. as, an.

Application filed October 4, 1915. Serial No. 54,063.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon WM ALDRICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Antigo, in the county of Langlade and the State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Washing-Machine Cylinder to be Used for Dry-Cleaning, Washing, and Carpet-Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in cylinders for washing machines and the like adapted for disposition in an outerfiuid container, whereby up in rotation of the cylinder, .clothes placed therein will be properly agitated for cleansing action by the fluid.-

Washing machine cylinders of this nature embodied in commercial use are usually provided with a series of inwardly projecting longitudinal peripheral ribs which are adapted to engage and lift the mass of clothes within .the cylinder and then drop said mass of clothes to the bottom of the cylinder. Although this structure procures an eflicient cleansing action, it is open to serious objection in that the clothes are subjected to severe strain during operation. of the cylinder by abutment of the ribs and by dropping on the ribs at the relatively high speed at which the cylinder must rotate. Thus the life of the clothes is materially shortened due to breakage of the fibers thereof and a considerable amount of lint results.

it is primarily the object of my invention to provide an arrangement within the cylinder whereby the clothes may be properly manipulated to procure an eliicient cleansing action, in such manner that the clothes are not subjected to breaking strains, and it is more specifically the object of my invention to procure a manipulation of the clothes hand washing, by the provision of successive squeezing and rubbing actuations of the clothes.

A further im ortant object of the invention resides in t e provision of an arrangement whereby upon alternately opposite r0- tations of the cylinder, the clothes may be caused to travel from end to end thereofand whereby the clothes are subjected to a rubbing actuation at either end of the cylinder when massed there adjacent.

A still further object resides in the provision of means for introducing cleansing fluid into the cylinder from the outer drum in such manner as to serve as a lubricant for theclothes when being subjected to arubbing action.

A still further object resides in the pro- VlSlOIl of a simple cylinder of the present nature, which may be constructed entirely of metal in a manner permitting a most ready assembly, and in this connection it is more specifically an object to utilize the formation of inwardly extending ribs of the cyllnder to provide grooves in the outer face of the cylinder for agitating cleansing fluid thereof.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine cylinder constructed in accordance with the present invention. 7

Figs. 2, 3 and l are diagrammatic elevational views of the cylinder, partly in sections, and showing the longitudinal travel of the mass of clothes procured by successively reversed rotative movements of the cylinder.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are partly diagrammatic transverse sectional views through the cylinder, showing the successive squeezing, dropping and rubbing actuations of the mass of clothesupon the rotation of the cylinder.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the cylinder.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of the end rubbing plate of the cylinder.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view through said plate on the line lO-1O of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an elevational view of one of the end head plates of the cylinder.

F i 12 is a detail "elevational view of the oor of the cylinder.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the cylinder comprises a series of V-shaped' rubbing rib staves 20 between which are dlsposed spacing staves 21 riveted to the inner face of laterally turned flange portions at the outer edges of the rubbing rib staves 20. The staves 20 and 21 form the major portion of the periphery of the cylinder, and secured to one of the endmost series of rubbing'rib staves 20 is one edge of the relatively wide spacing rib stave 23 which has its other edge secured to one laterally turned edge of a lifting rib four times the height of the rubbing stave ribs 20, and may be of a much greater relative height. Also the rubbing rib staves 20 may be positioned relatively much closer together. The rib staves 20 and 24 extend at their ends a slight distance beyond the ends of the spacing staves 21 and 23 and the door 25, and end rubbing plates 26 are provided for the cylinder which are adapted at their peripheral portions to abut the ends of the spacing staves and door and which are provided in said peripheral portions with slots 27 and 28 for receiving the ends of the rib staves 20 and 24 respectively. Inwardly struck on the plates 26 are radial series of rubbing ribs 29, said ribs being preferably grouped adjacent the rubbing ribs.

For holding the staves and end plates in assembled relation, end head plates 30 are provided each including a hub portion carrying an outwardly projecting pintle 31, and radial arms connected at their outer portions to form the periphery of the plate, said periphery being provided with an inturned annular flange 32 embracing the staves and bolted thereto For bracing the staves, bars 33 are disposed in the bight portions of the rib staves and are extended through the peripheral portions of the head plates 30 and secured by bolts 34. These bars are of any desired nature. and may comprise pipe lengths plugged at their ends.

The door 24 is secured in closed position by spring urged end locking bolts 35 carried thereby and adapted to engage in recesses 36 in the peripheral portions of the end rubbingplates 26. The door is also provided with a central spring urged looking bar 37 and all of these locking bars are preferably connected in a suitable conventional manner for simultaneous operation.

.To permitfree passage of cleansingfluid through the cylinderethe spacing staves and the door are provided with openings 38 of a maximum number consistent with sutlicient strength of the staves and the door. The staves and the door are also provided with outwardly struck cupped portions 39 which are also formed with said openings.

As is shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 12, the staves and consequently the ribs formed by alternate staves are slightly in- I clined with respect to the axis of the cylinder.

Taking up now the operation of the cylinder, it is noted that when the cylinder is operatively disposed in an outer drum, the plane of the cleansing fluid would extend thereinto a distance somewhat less than the height of one of the rubbing ribs. The charge of clothes disposed in the cylinder would be of the relative bulk indicated in such manner as not to impart an excessive strain to the fibers thereof. Continued rotation of the cylinder would cause a rubbing actionof the clothes by the rubbing rib staves 20, similar to the manual action procured in connection with a washboard. In this rubbing movement the clothes gradually settle upon the rubbing stave until they reach a final position at the lifting side of the rib stave 24 and seat Within the relatively great space between said lifting rib and the adjacent rubbing rib.

The cycle described is then repeated and the clothes are thus subjected to successive squeezing and lifting, dropping and rubbing actuations, thus procuring an operation similar to the manual operation of washing by hand, and wherein the clothes are subjected to comparatively slight strain to consequently materially lengthen the life of the clothes.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 to 4, upon continued rotation of the cylinder the clothes gradually travel toward and be,- come massed at one end of the cylinder due to the inclination of the ribs, and when massed at one end of the cylinder the clothes are subjected to a considerable rubbing actlon by the rubbing ribs of the end plates 26. The cylinder is adapted to have imparted to it successive series of rotations in alternately opposite directions and thus the clothes travel alternately from end to end thereof during the entire cleansing operation.

By the provision of the cup shaped portions 39 on the periphery of the cylinder, cleansing fluid is scooped into the cylinder upon passing ofsaid portions therethrough and thus a positive. fluid lubrication for the clothes is insured at the points most needed during the rubbing engagement. When the cylinder is relatively small, corrugations may be substituted for the cupped portions to procure the same scooping action.

Various washing cylinders have been heretofore provided including rubbing ribs on the periphery but without the provision of a l ft ng and squeezing means, the cleansing fluid is not properly distributed through the mass of clothes, nor is the mass of clothes sutliciently agitated to present all portions thereof to the rubbing action. I am aware that means have been heretofore provided for turning clothes during said rubbing actuation, but a squeezing or wringing action is also essential to procure passage of the cleansing fluid therethrough.

I am also aware that cylinders have been heretofore provided with lifting and squeezing ribs, but such cylinders do not contem plate the provision of a rubbing means and thus must depend upon an exceedingly rapid rotation of the cylinder to procure a sufficient agitation of the clothes and this rapid rotation is fatal to the proper length of life to the clothes. Experience has demonstrated that such machines must be rotated at an approximate speed of thirty-three revolutions per minute, while my machine is most eflicient at an approximate speed of sixteen revolutions per minute, thus in addition to relieving the clothes from the rapid impact of the ribs my arrangement also relieves the clothes from falling upon the projected surface of the lifting rib, since I employ only one lifting rib and the rubbing ribs are of such multiplicity and size as to distribute the force of fall of the clothes.

The essential feature of my invention resides in the provision of a washing cylinder provided With a series of rubbing ribs and with a single lifting and squeezing rib, and

while I have shown my invention associated particularly with the cylinder of a fluid washing machine, it is obvious that it is adapted for use in other cleansing devices, and it is further obvious that various changes and modifications of structure to meet differing conditions of use may be resorted to without departing in any manner from the spirit of the invention as interpreted by the appended claim.

I claim: I

A cleaning cylinder adapted for horizontal disposition and comprising a peripheral wall formed of alternately arranged V-' shaped staves and spacing staves, and end wall members having rubbing surfaces thereon and closing the ends of the cylinder, said V-shaped staves being inclined with respect to the axis of the cylinder, substantially as described.

GEORGE WILLIAM ALDRICH.

Witnesses:

HARRY MORSE, CLARENCE TE SELLE. 

